Week In a Nutshell, 3/12/21

March 12, 2021 | Updated Feb 22 2023

Week In a Nutshell, 3/12/21

Lisa Monaco, nominee for deputy attorney general, and Vanita Gupta, left, nominee for associate attorney general, testify during their Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing in Hart Building on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

By Jake Kaplan

Here are some of the legal news stories making headlines this week:

This week, all eyes are on Minneapolis as jury selection starts for the trial of Derek Chauvin — the former police officer charged for the death of George Floyd.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill reserved three weeks for jury selection, with opening statements in the trial scheduled to begin March 29th.
Before in-person questioning, prospective jurors were asked to fill out a 16-page questionnaire, which asked about, among other things, their knowledge of George Floyd’s death, their opinion of the Black Lives Matter movement, and their prior interactions with law enforcement.
The week got off to a rocky start when the first day of jury selection was paused while the court considered whether jury selection may proceed while an appeal over charges was still pending. Chauvin stands charged with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and, now, third-degree murder after the appeal was rejected and the charge was reinstated.

Meanwhile, it was a busy week in Congress.

On Wednesday, the Senate voted to confirm Merrick Garland as attorney general by a vote of 70-30.
On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a confirmation hearing for deputy attorney general nominee (and former co-host of United Security) Lisa Monaco, and associate attorney general nominee (and former Stay Tuned guest) Vanita Gupta.
Congress passed the American Rescue Plan this week — the $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus package that includes $1,400 checks to many Americans, an extension of unemployment aid, and other pandemic relief measures. President Biden signed the bill into law on Thursday. Every Republican in Congress voted against the legislation.
The House also passed the For the People Act — a sweeping voting rights measure designed to, among other things, increase access to voting, bring transparency to campaign finance rules, and restrict partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts. The bill’s future is in doubt as Senators debate how to approach the filibuster.